San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-08-11
REAGAN TO DAVIS.
The Ex.Postmaster General OF the Con
federacy In Reply 10 Ex.Presldent
Davis Letter ON Prohibition.

Hon. Jefferson Davis, Beauyoir. Miss
Ny DEAR SIR AND FRIEND Il write
not TO complain, but 10 express my
surprise and sorrow on account OF
the letter you wrote to our good
friend, Governor Lubbock, in oppo'
sition 10 the proposed amendment to
our State constitution TO prohibit the
manufacture, sale, and exchange OF
Intoxicating liquors, except for med
ical, scientific and sacramento pur
poses. Texas has never been 30 pro-
foundly stirred up on question be-
fore within my memory.
The State Democratic convention
of last year held the question Of tom
perance, Of opposition to tho liquor
traffic, to be non-partisan. Our Dem
ocratic governor recommended to the
last Legislature the submission OF
this question to a vote Of tho people.
Our legislature, which on joint bal
lot had but five Republicans in it,
did submit the question to the peo-
pie for decision the 4th of August
proximo, by vote of more than two
thirds of each house. 1t was sub
mitted rs non-partisan question, to
be voted on when no other question
was before the people. This meas
ure is, understand, sustained by n
majority of the Democratic members
of the Legislature. 1t is sustained
by many of the ablest, best and most
trusted Democrats of the State, such
as ex-senator Maxey, Mr.. Culberson,
Mr.. Lanham and Judge Hare, Demo
cratic member elect to Congress, and
Col. Miller, O Democratic member of
of last Congress. 1t il sustained by
two.thirds of the newspapers of Tex
as, by not less than nineteen twenti-
eths of the 5000 or 1000 preachers of
Texas. BY probably ninety-nine in
every one hundred of the women of
the State. And it will, in my opin
ion, be voted for by more than 100
900 white Democrats of this State.
have been in three counties in
large assemblies since your letter
was published, and from what l have
seen and heard L am sure that tens
of thousands of your truest and best
friends are grieved and panied by
your letter. We believed we could
carry the State against the combined
influence and efforts of the manufac-
turers Of whisky and beer, the Lii
uuor Dealers Association of st. Louis,
Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati, New
York, Philadelphia and elsewhere,
and against the use of the vast sums
of money they have sent to Texas to
employ and pay speakers, suborn the
newspapers, and corrupt the ballot
and debauch our people. We believ'
ed we could carry it against the So
loon keepers, professional politicians
and number of good men, like our
friend Governor Lubbock. But the
talismanic power of your great name
is now being paraded against the
prohibitionists, not only by some
good men, who, like yourself, think
prohibition more dangerous than the
liquor traffic, and drunkenness, with
all the evils, poverty, Indebtedness,
shame, sorrow and crime, which fol-
inevitably in their train ; but your
letter is being read and app|auded by
every saloon-keeper and dram. drink
or in Texas to-day. And it will cost
q cause which many of us deem OF the
greatest importantance many thous-
ands of votes and we fear may de-
feat the amendment and give the in
dorsement of the people to the liquor
traffic, with it's griefs, sorrows and
crimes which always go with it.
You object to this amendment
because "the world is governed
too much" Our laws prohibit the
carrying of pistols, bowie knives and
brass knucklos, and punish those
carrying them by fine and imprison
ment. Our laws prohibit and pro
vide for the punishment of every
species of gambling. They pro
hibt and provide for the punish
ment of many other things which are
injurious to society and which re-
strain the personal liberty of the
citizen. You admit the incorporate
use of liquors is the root of many so
cial disorders" No one can truthful
ly deny tae baneful effects of the Ii.
quor traffic. But you think with
many others, that to prohibit it will
be an abridgment of personal liberty.
This is admitted. Personal liberty
was abridged when God forbade our
progenitors to eat of the fruit of the
tree in Eden. The decalogue in the
Holy Scriptures abridges personal
liberty in nearly every commandment.
The laws of the United States and
of our several states, are in Il large
measure, made up of provisions for
the abridgment Of personal liberty.
They do this in order to give protec
ton to the persons, the regulations,
the lives, the property of the people .
to give peace and prosperity to so
ciety. They do it because govern
ment and civil society cannot exist
without the abridgment of of person
al liberty. They do it for the good
of society and the protection of its
members. Is the liquor traffic an
evllR Few have the hardihood to
DENY that it is. Most of the anti
prohibition orators OF this State
admit that it is; then why not pro
hbit except for the useful purposes
,,.pti,ua,l In the amendment. rs wf